


Miramar

by Tarlan



Category: Quantum Leap, Top Gun (1986)
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1993-07-01
Updated: 1993-07-01
Packaged: 2017-10-12 22:37:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/129877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Sam has to help save the life of a Top Gun pilot, the whole issue of gays in the military reveals the depth of his feelings for Al. But could Al ever feel the same way about him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Miramar

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Ticket to the Moon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/129878) by [Tarlan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan). 



> This story was originally published in the zine **Leap in the Dark 1** in July 1993 under the psuedonym Sharon Mills.
> 
> This story dovetails with the Top Gun story 'Ticket To The Moon' but you don't need to have read that to enjoy this

After so many leaps Sam thought he had perfected the art of nonchalance when he entered a new body but the beautiful face with its large blue eyes only a few feet from his own stunned him for a moment.

"Oh boy!!"

The woman smiled. It wasn't the first time someone had become lost for words when being introduced to her. Sam quickly recovered his composure.

"As I was saying... Miss Blackwood, I'd like to introduce you to Commander Franklin." Sam glanced at the impressive man at his side and then reached out and shook Miss Blackwood's hand in a firm yet gentle manner. "Miss Blackwood has recently joined our Tactical Section. Her last appointment was at the Fighter Weapons School."

"Please to meet you, Miss Blackwood."

Sam smiled and was secretly pleased when Miss Blackwood was maneuvered away to be introduced to someone else. He took the opportunity to give himself the quick once over in a conveniently placed mirror. He looked about 55 years of age and had wavy dark hair that was graying on the sides. It was a handsome face. He recognized his uniform as the dress whites of the Navy and a quick scan around revealed his presence at some function but he couldn't tell what type as there were plenty of civilians mingling with uniformed officers. One thing Sam did notice, however, was that all of the officers were above the rank of Lt Commander.

"Al, where are you...?" he whispered softly to himself.

This was always the worst time for him, a time when he felt most vulnerable. Sam grabbed a champagne glass from a passing waiter and sipped at the sparkling liquid. The buzz of talking went on around him and snatches of conversation gave him the impression he was in Washington DC. Sam wandered over towards a large set of French doors leading onto a balcony. The familiar skyline confirmed his suspicions. He had spent more time than he would have liked in this city, usually on the defensive as he tried to sell the Quantum Leap Project to a disinterested military. He wandered back into the large reception room. Here and there he saw a face that was vaguely familiar.

"Are you having a good time, Commander?" The soft feminine voice close to his left ear startled him and he whipped his head around to come face to face with Miss Blackwood again. Sam cleared his throat.

"Miss Blackwood..."

"Please. Call me Charlie." Sam smiled at the young woman.

"Charlie. Would you care for a glass of champagne?"

He reached out and grabbed a glass from another passing waiter and handed it across. She tossed her shoulder length, honey blond hair away from her face as she accepted the drink. They stood in silence sipping from their respective glasses.

"What do....?"

"How long...?"

They both laughed and Sam, ever the gentleman, asked her to continue.

"I wanted to ask what type of work you're involved with here."

Sam hesitated. What could he say? All he knew was that his name was Commander Franklin. A sudden flare of light eased his fears but did little to calm his racing heart. Years of experience prevented him from dazzling Al with a welcoming grin, instead Sam smiled at the figure that had appeared behind Charlie Blackwood and repeated the question for Al's benefit. Al quickly consulted Ziggy.

"It's May 18th, 1985. You're name is Michael Franklin. You're a Commander in the US Navy and you are currently assigned to Pentagon Security."

"I'm part of the Pentagon Security" he repeated.

"Then I should be seeing a lot of you..."

Al continued over Charlie's voice. "The woman is Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood and she has just joined Tactical."

"Yes, I know that..." Charlie laughed in slight bewilderment. Sam quickly covered up. "Yes, I should be seeing a lot of you. You've just joined Tactical."

"Charlotte? There you are. I want to introduce you to Governor Clinton."

Charlie gave a small shrug and smiled as she was led away. Sam sighed deeply in relief but a surge of anger swamped him as he watched Al follow the beautiful figure, a lecherous expression plastered across his face.

"Hubba, hubba!..."

"Where have you been?"

Startled by the hard edge in Sam's voice, Al whipped round to face his friend, eyes filled with confusion.

"You've only been here sixteen minutes. I thought I was pretty quick."

Sam reddened in embarrassment. Al was a hot-blooded, American male of Italian descent and had every right to ogle a pretty woman. So why did he feel so angry with him?

"I'm sorry, Al, I'm not having a go. I just get a little uptight when I first arrive."

Sam smiled at a puzzled passer-by and in doing so he missed the small smile that creased the corners of Al's mouth. Although it had been only sixteen minutes for Sam, it had been 5 long days in Al's time. During the last 5 days Sam's mind had been floating in limbo as if he was searching for a body to leap into. The waiting between leaps was always the toughest time for Al. He usually spent the time sorting out the myriad of problems with the Pentagon and the Project board to ensure that Sam wasn't abandoned to the past. So far he had managed to appease them all by supplying information gathered by Ziggy from the various leaps. However, he could never relax until Sam had leaped thereby allowing him to see and speak to Sam once more. He was drawn back by Sam's quiet voice.

"I see you've got you're Navy whites on too."

Sam gave Al a sly, appraising look. He loved to see Al in uniform. There was something very sexy about the Navy dress uniform with its high white collar, gleaming buttons and close fitting jacket and trousers.

"How do I look?" Sam asked casually. Al swallowed and shook his head.

"Better than the dress I saw you in last."

Sam almost choked on the champagne. His last leap had been an old lady. Then he'd had to prevent a crooked Real Estate Agent from throwing her out onto the streets.

"So why am I here?" Al began to tap the small box held in his hand.

"Well, that's the problem. There are so many people here whose lives could be affected by what you do that Ziggy hasn't a clue. Take Governor Clinton. You could stop him from becoming President... or..."

"Before you go into a long list of possibilities what is the most likely?"

"That depends. Where were you when you first arrived?"

"Here! Being introduced to Charlotte Blackwood." Sam nodded and smiled at other passers-by then moved deeper into the small recess he had found. He waited with barely controlled patience as Al consulted Ziggy yet again.

"Bingo! Ziggy says there is a 91.2% possibility that you are to prevent Charlotte Blackwood from returning to Miramar."

"What?"

"Apparently, she fell in love with a Navy pilot who was training at Top Gun..."

"Top Gun?"

"That's Navy slang for the Fighter Weapons School. Anyway, she left to accept promotion here in the Pentagon. When she hears he has returned to take up an Instructor's post she requests re-assignment back to Miramar."

"So why should that be so bad? Up till now we've always tried to ease the path of true love."

"That's just it. This pilot doesn't love her. He's in love with his commanding officer. When Charlotte finds out she reports them both to the Military Police."

"Not that rank problem...?"

Al frowned and banged the multi-coloured handlink with the side of his hand. "No, worse than that. His commanding officer's a man."

Sam sank against the wall. Homosexuality was a big issue with the Armed Forces. An issue that was still to be resolved in his own time.

"What happened to them?"

A few seconds passed while Al commanded Ziggy to locate the data. "They were court-martialed. The penalty was 18 months in separate prisons followed by dishonorable discharge." Al looked up at Sam. "And that was a pretty light sentence."

"But there's more." Al bowed his head and read on.

"When the pilot, Lt Peter Mitchell, was finally released he tried to make contact with his lover but Commander Hetherly had died two months into his own sentence."

Sam sighed. "How'd he die?"

"Open verdict. Possibly a suicide but the autopsy revealed signs of physical abuse prior to death. Bruises along the rib cage and arms."

Sam gulped the last of the champagne down and looked back into his friend's dark eyes. Questions filled his mind. Did Hetherly commit suicide rather than face further torment in prison, or was he murdered? Either way, the man had died and if Ziggy was correct then he had to prevent the incidents leading to Hetherly's death before he could leap once more.

"So all we have to do is stop Charlotte Blackwood from returning to Miramar." Al nodded. "Then why do I get the impression this won't be easy?"

Sam noticed Charlotte leaving half an hour later. Her escort was the same man who had introduced them earlier that evening. Sam pointed him out to Al.

"Admiral John Buttrick. He's Head of Security at the Pentagon and a real stickler for protocol. I remember..."

"When does Charlie return to Top Gun?"

Al took the hint and smacked the handlink on the side a few times as he tried to extract the information from the recalcitrant computer.

"Four days time."

"Then we'd better come up with some ideas fast but first I want to get some sleep. Where do I live?"

After directing Sam to his 'new' home, Al jaunted off to find some more data on Charlotte Blackwood. Once he had extracted all the information he wandered along to the Waiting Room. The door opened at his touch to reveal a solitary figure. With his face softened by sleep 'Sam' looked like a small child curled over on his side in an over-sized cot. Al smiled and sat down beside him. Over the passed few years he had come to respect and then to love Dr Samuel Beckett. They had shared some of their deepest hurts and some of their happiest moments but Al wanted more. He longed to be able to touch Sam, to feel his firm body along the length of his own. He felt his body respond to the image of Sam in his arms and he reached out to stroke the straight brown hair but his hand fell away as he remembered who inhabited Sam's body. All the sadness Al felt was expressed in a single soul-deep sigh. In quiet moments like this he would forget that Sam was lost to the past and imagine him as he was before that first Leap. Al laughed softly to himself as another thought crossed his mind. What would Michael Franklin think if he woke up to find his only contact with 'home' apparently lusting after him? Al stood up and activated the door of the Waiting room. With a last long, hungry look at the sleeping man Al stepped through the door and closed it. Using his high security status Sam made his way towards the Tactical Section. By his side, Al chatted on as usual, passing pieces of information - some useful, others not so useful. Every now and then Sam had to drag Al's attention back from some lithe, young woman. He whispered softly towards the holographic image of his friend.

"I often wonder how you ever found the time to make Admiral judging by your reaction to anything in a skirt."

"Just admiring the view." There was no time for a rejoinder. Sam reached the Section he was looking for and together they wandered along the long corridor. "We want Room 702. There!"

Sam followed Al to the indicated door and gently rapped.

"Come in." He remembered the soft voice from the night before. Charlotte was sitting behind a desk piled high with reports. She stood up. "Commander Franklin?"

"Please call me Michael. I'm surprised you remembered my name."

Charlotte smiled. "I'm good with names. Have a seat."

She glanced around the room and then laughed gently when she realized all the seats were covered in files. Quickly she swept up the pile from the nearest and placed the reports on top of another pile. Sam took the offered seat.

"No offense but wouldn't it have been simpler to take one file at a time?"

"No offense taken and, yes, it would have been simpler but this is what I found when I walked into this office on the first day. My initial reaction was to run all the way back to Fightertown."

"But you didn't."

"I'm not a quitter." A strange look came into her eyes but she covered it with a smile. "As you can well appreciate I am pretty busy. Is there anything I can do for you or is this a social call?"

Sam smiled. From anyone else this brush-off would have been quite hurtful but there was no malice or annoyance on Charlotte's face. It was hard to believe this woman could cause the death of anyone.

"Its a social call. As you're too busy at the moment perhaps we could meet for lunch."

Charlotte gave a broad smile that seemed to light up her whole face.

"Okay. 12:30 at the main entrance."

Sam stood up and smiled."12:30. I see you later."

"That wasn't so bad. She likes you. Perhaps you can get her to fall in love with you then she won't..."

"Al, Franklin is old enough to be her father."

"Perhaps she likes older men..."

"How old is Mitchell?"

Al sighed. He consulted Ziggy. "Lt Peter Mitchell is twenty..." another slap against the handlink brought forth an electronic squeal and the rest of the answer. "..six years of age and before you ask, Charlotte Blackwood is 31."

"Just out of interest, how old is his lover?" Al consulted Ziggy once more.

"35."

********************

At 12:35 Sam was waiting at the main entrance to the Pentagon. He glanced at his watch. A hundred different reasons for her lateness passed through his mind but he couldn't shake off the most obvious. She wasn't going to show.

"She stood you up." Sam frowned at Al but still he waited. 12:40 came and went. "I'm telling you, she's not going to show." Finally Sam had to agree. He turned and started walking back towards his own office.

"Commander Franklin!. Michael!"

"Sam!" Al wished he could reach out and shake his friend. It took Sam a moment to realize someone was calling his 'new' name and then he saw Charlotte hurrying towards him.

"I'm sorry. I got so engrossed in those reports I lost track of the time. I hope I haven't kept you waiting long."

"No. I was a little late myself."

"Is there anywhere you'd like to go?"

"Well... I've heard of this little Italian cafe nearby that's supposed to make the best lasagna in Washington."

"Okay." Charlotte's eyes sparkled with pleasure and as she turned to leave the building, Sam gave Al a small smile and let him lead the way.

The cafe was exactly where Al remembered it to be. They slid into one of the few empty seats.

"Admiral Buttrick said you were at Top Gun. What did you do there?"

"I was Tag Rep. I taught Combat maneuvers and assessed the proficiency ratings of each team."

"Team?"

"The Pilot and his RIO."

"Did she say 'RIO' or 'REAR'"

Sam barely managed to keep a straight face. Fortunately, he hadn't taken a mouthful of food prior to Al's latest comment or he might have ended up having to wipe it from his companion's clothing. He resisted the temptation to glare at Al.

"And how did they rate?"

"There are some exceptionally good pilots out there. Top Gun trains the best of the best. The Elite."

"You sound like you enjoyed the work, so why did you leave?"

"I wanted this promotion. Although I'm beginning to wonder whether it was such a good move."

"A new job is always a little unnerving at first. You've got to give yourself time before you make any rash decisions."

Charlotte smiled. "You sound just like my old boss."

The rest of the lunch passed in small talk. Sam hoped she would open up about Lt Peter Mitchell but somehow Charlotte manage to evade any more questions about her time at Top Gun. Finally they had to part.

"Perhaps we can do this again."

"How about dinner? Tonight." Charlotte laughed gently.

"Thank you but I have prior arrangements. How about lunch tomorrow. Same time, same place."

Sam knew it was the best he was going to get so he agreed. They parted just inside the main entrance.

********************

The next lunch break passed like the first except this time Charlotte broke the news Sam was dreading to hear.

"I'm applying for a transfer back to Top Gun."

"I don't think that's a good idea..."

"You think I should give the job a chance." Charlotte gave a small laugh. "Well, my new boss agrees with you but it's not the post that's driving me away. I met someone at Miramar, someone special. He returned to Top Gun as an Instructor just over two weeks ago."

"If he's so special, why did you leave him in the first place?" Charlotte shook her head slowly.

"I can't explain. At the time I thought I was doing the right thing but now..."

"Charlie, you're a tough woman so I know I can be blunt. What if he doesn't feel the same way about you?"

"He loves me."

"But how do you know that?"

"Everyone said he was walking around with his head in the clouds. People who'd known him for years said he was in love. With me. Anyway, Jack's told me to take a few days and find out if it's what I really want. I leave for Miramar the day after tomorrow."

Sam tried again and again but nothing he said would penetrate the cloak of certainty that Charlotte had drawn around herself. She found an excuse to leave and there was nothing Sam could do to stop her.

"Any suggestions?" Sam turned pleading eyes on his most trusted friend. He had spent yesterday afternoon and half of this morning trying to get through to Charlie but no-one was answering her phone.

"Perhaps we're tackling this the wrong way. Perhaps we're not meant to stop her from returning to Miramar but to stop her reporting the two men. Why don't you go to Top Gun and warn Mitchell instead? Then he and his lover can lie low until Mitchell convinces her to go back to Washington."

"Al, you're a genius." Sam paused, deep in thought. Beside him, Al waited patiently. He had seen this expression before and knew Sam was about to ask him something of great importance. "Al, you're an Admiral... How d'you feel about this leap?"

Al didn't pretend to misunderstand the question. He had spent the passed two days trying to work out the right answer but still he hesitated. Personally he couldn't understand why homosexuals should be discriminated against. They was no reason why. They performed their duties as efficiently as anyone else and they had proved their worth in countless wars yet still the discrimination and the persecution continued.

"Top Gun only accepts as instructors those pilots who have proven themselves to be the best. Both of those men have flown into battle. Hetherly flew in 'Nam during the last few months of the war. I never met the man but I remember hearing his name after I got back." Al looked up. "In answer to your question, I think it stinks. It's the stupid prejudices of... of... ignorant men that keeps this discrimination alive. They seem to think gays either want to pounce on them or else they must like little boys..."

Sam smiled as he watched Al get heated up over the subject. It was the answer he had hoped to hear. He'd often prided himself on having an open mind but had he ever considered the possibility of wanting another man before that first leap? His mind was still swiss cheese. He had remembered a lot of things but there must be so much left to recover. His feelings for Al had deepened over the past few months but he hadn't found time to analyze those feelings until now. He thought he loved Al like a brother but the depth of jealousy that washed over him as he watched Al admire Charlie Blackwood had shocked him. He had started to wonder if Al could ever feel the same way about him. Over the last few days he had watched Al on numerous occasions and was surprised to note small things such as the way Al got uptight whenever Sam touched anyone, especially a woman. At first the thoughts had disturbed him but this leap had focused his mind and with a sudden surge of determination Sam decided it was time to talk to Al about their relationship. He waited for Al to finish his tirade.

"What about us, Al?"

"Us?" Sam smiled at the perplexed expression.

"Al, you've been my guardian angel for so long, and I know you didn't take on the task out of duty. You said we were friends back in our own time but what sort of friends were we?"

Al played for time by taking out a fat cigar and lighting it. He took a long drag before answering. "We were good friends."

Sam frowned. He needed to know more but could see Al was not prepared to offer up any information. Sam decided to take the direct approach but found he hadn't the courage to look into his friend's eyes. He turned and focused his gaze upon a large photo of an Aircraft Carrier.

"Were we lovers?"

Al choked on the cigar smoke as the question reverberated around the quiet room. "No. We were never..."

"But we'd like to be."

A silence descended that neither was prepared to break. Sam listened to Al's harsh, indrawn breath and waited while his friend fought to regain control of his reeling senses. He savagely forced his own panic-stricken features into a calm mask before turning back to face Al. Al shook his head hesitantly. Sam's face was only a foot away from his own and the clear hazel eyes seemed to take hold of his very soul. He wanted to deny it all but couldn't find the strength to lie to this man. Eventually, Al broke the gaze by looking away. It was then that the full meaning of the words struck him.

"You said 'we'."

The phone jangled harshly and both men stared at it as though it were some alien artifact. By the time it stopped ringing the spell had been broken. They both knew they would have to talk but, for now, they needed time to think.

"I'd better make those travel arrangements."

********************

The journey to Fightertown took several hours. It was late afternoon by the time Sam arrived at the Fighter Weapons School.

"Commander Franklin, welcome to Top Gun." Sam instantly liked the amiable man who was the head of the training program. Commander Mike 'Viper' Metcalfe smiled broadly as they shook hands. "I'm afraid I wasn't notified of your arrival until less than an hour ago. Have you made any accommodation arrangements?"

"No. This is an unexpected visit for both of us."

"Well, if you don't mind, my second-in-command is willing to put you up for the duration."

"No, that'll be fine."

"Good, I'll introduce you to Commander Hetherly when he has finished the afternoon hop. In the meantime, if there's anything I can help you with then feel free to ask. Ensign Hardwick will show you to our Security department."

Sam thanked the Commander and followed the young ensign. "What's a hop?" he whispered softly to Al.

"A non-simulated aerial program." Al noticed the confusion still apparent on Sam's face. He flapped his arms around like a plane. "You know, like flying lessons."

"I thought they could fly already?"

"Yes, but this is advanced flying lessons. The difference between normal driving and stunt car driving. I wonder if they'll take you on a hop..."

Sam almost turned green at the thought. He'd already had one fairly unpleasant experience flying a jet-fighter. "Well at least I'll get the chance to speak to Hetherly."

Sam spent the rest of the afternoon pretending to be taking notes about the Security arrangements. It was a relief when Ensign Hardwick asked him to accompany him back to Metcalfe's office.

"Commander Franklin, I'd like to introduce you to my second, Commander Richard Hetherly, call-sign 'Jester'."

Sam reached forward and shook hands. He wasn't certain what he had been expecting but the hard-edged man with dark, penetrating eyes surprised him. Hetherly moved and talked with a clipped yet strangely fluid military air of confidence. He wore a well-fitting, dark green, all-in-one flight suit but it was open to the waist revealing a clean white tee shirt. Hetherly leaned back against the back wall of Metcalfe's office, shook a cigarette free from a packet and offered it to Sam. Sam refused but watched as Hetherly carefully removed one and then replaced the packet in his top pocket. There was something strangely compelling about the way he lit the cigarette and took that first drag. Sam found himself being drawn back to the conversation when he heard his name mentioned. Metcalfe had been outlining the reason for Sam's visit.

"I'm grateful for the offer of accommodation. I don't expect to be here long."

Hetherly smiled and inclined his head. "Do you want me to arrange to have your things sent over?" The voice was deep and melodic.

"No, I travel light."

Sam followed the sturdy figure out of Metcalfe's office grabbing his small suitcase on the way. The journey to Hetherly's home took less than fifteen minutes and Sam was surprised at the spacious accommodation.

"Nice place you have here." Hetherly looked around as if seeing it for the first time.

"Yeah, it's not bad. Rent's not too bad either. You can have the back room, it's got a sofa-bed. I'll get some sheets."

"Nice place."

Al glanced around the lounge area. A large sofa dominated the room flanked by two small armchairs. There was little other furniture. A TV, video and Hi-Fi system stood on the other side of the room. The walls were sparsely covered with photographs and plaques from various past postings. Al glanced at some of the photos.

"Hey, I recognize some of these people. That's Beaky...."

"Al, we haven't time for that. Has anything changed by me being here?"

Al reluctantly pulled away from the photos and began battering Ziggy with requests for information. "Not really. They still get sent to the Navy stockade." Al looked up with pain filled eyes. "Hetherly still dies."

"It's not fair."

"I didn't catch that?"

Sam spun around at the sound of Hetherly's voice behind him. "I was saying, all this sunshine. It's not fair. I reckon I should put in for a posting down this way."

Hetherly laughed and Sam was mesmerized by the way it brightened his whole face. The grin fell away as the roar of a high-powered motorbike filled the air.

"Excuse me a moment."

"Is that Lt Mitchell?"

Hetherly turned back to face Sam. His eyes had narrowed slightly but otherwise there was no outward sign of apprehension. "I expect so. I asked him to come by to pick up some papers."

Sam recognized the statement for what it was - an excuse. Obviously, Hetherly had not found time to warn Mitchell about his unexpected guest. Hetherly opened the door before Mitchell could let himself in. The bright blue eyes clouded as he read the warning in his lover's face. When he caught sight of the Commander's uniform, Mitchell stood to attention and saluted. Sam barely concealed a smile when Al flipped a salute in reply.

"At ease, Lt." he said, mimicking Al with a half-hearted salute. "I expect you're in a hurry so I'll get those papers for you."

"I'm sure the Lieutenant can spare a few moments and join us."

Al stepped back in alarm. "Sam, what are you doing? You can't..."

Sam ignored the panic in Al's voice and went back into the lounge. Mitchell gave a small shrug at the questioning look from his lover and followed 'Franklin'. He took the seat closest to the door. After nearly three years of leaping, Sam had become quite adept at reading body language. He easily read the physical closeness between the two officers even though they tried to appear reserved in each others presence. He turned to the handsome, young officer. The bright, deep blue eyes were captured by his.

"I met a friend of yours in Washington. A Miss Charlotte Blackwood. She spoke very highly of you."

Sam smiled as he watched the other three men relax. They had obviously been expecting him to say something different. Al sank to the floor by the side of the couch and drew his knees up. Glancing down at his dark-haired companion, Sam wished Al was really there. He savagely resisted the urge to reach out and touch the holographic image of his friend. He had done so before when Al's attention had been focused elsewhere but the pain of not being able to touch hurt him more and more as time went by. Sam let his hand drop into his lap and turned back to the young pilot.

"Charlotte has requested a posting back to Top Gun. She arrives tomorrow."

Neither Sam nor Al missed the flicker of some unknown emotion that crossed Mitchell's face nor did they miss the way those eyes sought out Hetherly's. The next hour was filled with small-talk and Al was relieved when no attempt was made to broach the subject of homosexuality. Eventually, Sam looked at his watch.

"Is that the time? I've been invited over to Commander Metcalfe's for dinner at Eight. I'd best get cleaned up." Sam turned to Mitchell. "Well, it was good meeting you, Lieutenant."

After asking the location of the bathroom, Sam left the room to give the two men a few moments of privacy.

"Well?"

Al knew exactly what Sam wanted to know. He punched commands into the small, multi-colored hand-link. It squealed as Al shook and then thumped the small unit. He looked back up into Sam's eyes with a solemn expression and shook his head slowly. Al banged a fist hard against his thigh.

"There must be something we missed. I'm going back to see if I can get some more information out of Ziggy."

Sam nodded and sighed as the image of his friend disappeared through the brilliant white doorway. Sam opened the bathroom door quietly and listened to the low voices. He recognized Hetherly's deep voice.

"Not tonight. It's not safe."

"But she'll be here tomorrow. We might not get another chance to be alone together for days, maybe weeks."

Sam couldn't hear a reply and decided not to wait for one. He never enjoyed eavesdropping at the best of times. He closed the bathroom door, undressed and stepped into the shower. As the water streamed down his body Sam closed his eyes and thought of the two men in the lounge. He could almost visualize them lying side-by-side, naked bodies entwined as they seared each other with slow-burning kisses. It didn't take much for the images to be replaced with those of himself and Al. He rubbed a hand over his chest then slowly, in circling motions, his hand moved downwards across the taut abdomen and then lower still. Sam allowed his other hand to run down his side until it cupped one cheek. He pretended they were Al's hands. He could feel the strong fingers sliding over him, gripping him. He slowly began to pump and murmur Al's name when something within him snapped. Sam let go and hugged himself tightly. His racing heart was heavy and his groin ached. Sam threw back his head and let the hot water spray across his face and into his mouth. Tears formed and were washed away.

By the time Sam returned to the lounge Mitchell had gone.

"Your rental was dropped off while you were in the shower." Hetherly glanced around at the 'older' man. "Are you okay?" Sam smiled and nodded.

"Jet-lagged. It's been a long day."

Hetherly gave a small smile and turned back to finish writing a few more words. Finally, he put the pen down and walked over to Sam.

"I've written down directions to Commander Metcalfe's home." Hetherly handed a small piece of paper across.

"Thanks. Are you planning on staying in tonight?"

"I may have to go out for a few hours. I should be back before 21:30 but here's a key just in case I'm late, or you're early."

Sam nodded gratefully and then headed for the door. "Well, I look forward to seeing you later."

Hetherly watched as Sam climbed into his rented Ford. Once the dark-colored car had disappeared from view he pulled on a light jacket and left.

********************

Charlie pulled to a halt outside the small but pleasant looking house. A downstairs window was open and the sound of Motown drifted onto the cool evening air. She had obtained Mitchell's address before leaving Washington and had even managed to obtain his work schedule. It hadn't been hard to do for someone with her security rating. Originally, she had thought to arrive in Miramar tomorrow morning and had her entrance all planned. Old contacts had told her that Pete Mitchell tended to spend off-duty time at the Officer's club. He would be there around 10:30 tomorrow and at that time of the day the place would be almost empty. She would select 'their' record from the jukebox and wait for his reaction. However, her plans had changed. Franklin's words had bothered her and now she wasn't so sure about anything. What if he was right? What if she had been just another conquest for Pete Mitchell. Those doubts had brought her to this place tonight where they could meet in privacy. She hesitated as the sound of Diana Ross singing 'I'm still Waiting' floated into the otherwise silent street. The last time she had heard this song was while they drifted off to sleep after making love. Charlie looked at her watch. It was 20:45. She stepped out of the rented sports car and walked slowly to the door. Taking a deep breath she held out her hand to ring the door bell but paused. In her mind's eye she could visualize him sitting inside reminiscing on the nights of passion they had spent while Motown filtered through the room. Charlie imagined his head bent in regret and she could see his beautiful blue eyes light up as she stepped into the room. Her mind supplied the rest of the images. Pete would stand up and pull her into his arms. They would kiss long and deep and hard..... The images were so good that her heart began to beat faster. She reached out and tried the door handle. The door swung open. Charlie moved into the small lounge and found it empty. The only movement was the turning of the Motown cassette in the player. It would continue repeating each side in turn until it was switched off. She felt the urge to stop it and her finger hovered over the button but she turned away and crept up the narrow stairs. Charlie smiled in anticipation as she waited outside the bedroom door. She could hear small sounds of movement coming from inside the room.

With a steady hand she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The smile froze on her face. The small bedside lamp cast shadows along the length of Pete Mitchell's naked, sweat-slicked body. The sheet had slipped down around his knees but he hardly noticed as his whole being was focused on the strong body beneath him. His mouth and hands roamed over the lightly furred chest, sucking and biting the tanned skin. Some sense of danger made Hetherly open his eyes and there, framed in the doorway, was Charlie. Hetherly struggled to push Mitchell away but his lover held on tighter and began to nuzzle his neck.

"Pete!"

Mitchell looked into his lover's face as the alarmed cry drilled its way into his lust-soddened mind but Hetherly was not looking at him. Mitchell followed his gaze and his eyes widened in shock.

********************

Sam sat back and grinned. "That was the best meal I've had in a long time."

Kathy Metcalfe smiled and collected the empty plates. They moved to the lounge where Sam employed all his skills to mimic Admiral Calavicci at his most taciturn. As the subject of the conversation crept back towards the Navy and the Pentagon for the fourth time, Sam started to wish Al was by his side to talk him through. Hardly had the wish entered his mind than the white rectangle of light appeared before him. He knew something was wrong right away.

"Sam, she's here now! Charlotte Blackwood arrived at Top Gun early this evening. Somehow, you've already changed history. She wasn't supposed to have arrived 'til tomorrow."

It didn't take Sam long to escape from his hosts. He'd had plenty of practise from past leaps. The journey seemed to take forever but eventually he drew up outside Hetherly's home. The place was dark and Sam knew no-one was home from the moment he crossed the threshold.

"Al, where does Mitchell live?"

Al quickly ordered up the information on the handset. He thumped the handlink several times and the recalcitrant unit squealed in complaint.

"1518 Southview Drive. That's about fifteen minutes to the northeast. I'll navigate."

Al walked through the car until he appeared to be sitting in the passenger seat. They took off at breakneck speed and arrived in time to see Charlie running out. Sam jumped out of his car and raced after her.

"Charlie!"

He saw her stumble as she recognized his voice. Charlie stopped dead and turned to face him. The tears streaming down her face were highlighted by the street lamp and after a moments hesitation she fell into his arms. Sam lead her back to her small, diamond-white sports car, placed her into the passenger seat and took the wheel. He drove off slowly but it didn't take long before they had left civilization behind. After ten minutes Sam saw a convenient place to stop and pulled over. They sat in silence for a long time staring out across the flat landscape. Away from the artificial lights the desert was quite bright. A full moon hung low in the sky casting enough light to see. Eventually, Charlie broke the silence.

"I thought he loved me but all this time... " Sam looked away. What could he say to ease her pain? "Filthy... To think I let him... " Charlotte's face creased up in disgust and anger as she thought of the nights spent in his arms. A coldness crept across her features. "Turn the car around. I'm going to the MP's..."

"Why? Because of what he is or because of what he did to you?" Charlotte looked at Sam with a stunned expression. The anger that flashed in her eyes gave Sam the answer but he gave her no chance to reply. "Is your pride worth his life?"

Charlotte's features hardened even more. Yes. At this moment in time her pride was worth his life. Pete Mitchell deserved everything she could throw at him. She would teach him for using her.

"Is it worth his lover's life?"

Her breath caught at the second question. In her anger she had not even considered the shy, sensitive man lying beneath her betrayer. Was it worth Hetherly's life? The question whirled around her. Her anger was still white hot but the thought of hurting Hetherly was not so satisfying. Gradually, the anger was replaced by uncertainty.

"I need some time alone, to think things through."

Sam watched as Charlie wandered away from the car. She sat some distance away, her body silhouetted in the beams from the headlamps. Sam leaned back into the leather seat and watched as the holographic image of his friend moved into the passenger seat. Al glanced back at the silent man by his side.

"You're very quiet."

"I've been thinking about Mitchell and Charlie. It's funny but I've just assumed that Charlie will be the one to walk away but what if she was right. What if Mitchell does love her. What if Hetherly was just an interlude, an sexual experiment. What if tonight was intended to be Mitchell's final fling, his way of saying goodbye to Hetherly..."

"No, Sam. He's in love with Hetherly..."

"But how d'you know that? Mitchell was a womanizer of the worst type, a girl in every port..."

"A cover. He wanted to fly but none of the forces accept gays. Can you think of a better way to hide his true inclination? No-one is going to accuse him of being gay when he has a beautiful woman hanging from his arm. Though he probably hasn't taken a male lover in years, probably not since high school. Probably no-one special enough to risk detection, until now."

"So every Navy pilot with an obsession towards women must be a closet gay?" Sam stared hard into Al's dark eyes. "Then what about you, Al? Is the lechery just a cover? Do you lie in bed wishing the soft body by your side was firm and muscular?"

Sam's lips tightened in horror as Al looked away. He reached out to pull Al back to face him and almost screamed in frustration as his hand passed right through. Al's head whipped around as he heard the small pain-filled exclamation. He saw Sam's hand move to caress the air where his lips appeared to be. Al closed his eyes and tried to imagine those fingers touching him. When he opened his eyes he saw Sam's face in profile, staring through the small windscreen at the solitary figure of Charlie.

"Your next question was going to be 'am I waiting for someone special enough to risk detection?' The answer is no. I've already found someone special. My question is, does that special someone want me the same way?"

Their gazes met and Al read the answer in the hazel eyes. His own glowed with happiness and he reached out to Sam. The smile died as reality crept back but Sam gave a small contented smile and whispered softly.

"One day I'll leap home. Then we'll be together."

The sound of footsteps on gravel pulled their attention back to the present. Charlie approached the car and slid into the passenger seat, totally unaware of its current occupant. The anger had left her face and had been replaced by a look of defeat. She had spent the past ten minutes deep in thought about the quiet man who had taken Mitchell from her. Commander Hetherly had shown her the utmost courtesy and respect from her first day at Top Gun and in her heart she knew she wouldn't want to hurt him no matter what the circumstances. Suddenly, her eyes filled with tears but this time they were tears of frustration, not anger. She wanted to strike out at Mitchell, to hurt him the way he had hurt her but could see no way of doing that without hurting Hetherly. Sam sighed deeply. He wrapped an arm around her and allowed her head to fall on his shoulder. He waited until the sobs had died away.

"It's not too late to cancel your transfer request and return to Washington."

Charlotte looked into Franklin's green eyes and sighed.

"Sam, you did it. Ziggy says Mitchell and Hetherly never faced a court-martial so Hetherly doesn't die in prison." He squinted at the scientist. "So why haven't you leaped." "I think there's one more thing left to do here."

Charlotte looked up at the sound of his voice. She couldn't hear the conversation between Sam and Al and so she took his words at face value.

"Yes. I'd like you to drive me back to Mitchell's."

Sam started the car and performed a 180 degree turn. Ten minutes later they were parked outside. Both Charlie and Sam stepped out of the sports car as Mitchell approached. Sam hung back as Charlie moved forward to meet him half-way. She could see Hetherly waiting by the door.

"Charlie? Charlie, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you but I love him and I didn't know how to tell you... What are you going to do?"

Charlie stared into the deep, blue eyes and then turned away to take a long look in Hetherly's direction. He didn't shy from her glance even though she had caught them together in Mitchell's bed. He wasn't ashamed of his love for Pete only scared of what this love could bring upon them. She turned back to face Mitchell, pursed her lips and then slapped him hard across the face. He took the blow without retaliation.

"That's all I'm going to do."

Mitchell stood in stunned silence until the full meaning of her words swept through him.

"Thanks, Charlie.."

"Don't thank me. I haven't done it for you. I've done it for him." She nodded in Hetherly's direction then she turned and walked away.

Mitchell watched as she climbed into the driver's seat of the rented sports car. Sam closed the door firmly behind her and she gave him a small smile of thanks. The throaty sound of the engine filled the quiet street as she started the car and took off without a backward glance. Mitchell made no attempt to back away when Sam approached him. He stood to attention and waited. Sam knew it was best to play ignorant.

"I don't know what's going on here and to be honest, I don't really care but it might be worth reconsidering your position. There are other air forces that may be more lenient." Sam leaned in closer. "If not for your sake then for his."

A squeal from the handset drew Al's attention. He quickly scanned the data and then looked back up. Al smiled at Sam as Mitchell turned away and walked back towards Hetherly.

"Ziggy says they resign from the Navy and take up posts as Civilian Contractors specializing in teaching Air Combat Maneuvering. They spend two years with the Mexican Air Force but within three years they are back at Top Gun as Civilian Instructors." Al glanced up in awe. "They're still together in our time."

Sam tore his eyes away from the two lovers as they closed the door behind them and gazed across at Al.

"And what about Charlie?"

Al grinned as the information appeared on the handlink.

"Charlotte Blackwood returns to Washington and persuades Governor Clinton to examine the whole question of gays in the military. By the time he gets elected President all he wants to do is help. You know, a girl with a smile like that could talk any guy into anything."

Their eyes met and held. Sam's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the depth of love mirrored in the face close to his own. He whispered "I love you" but the answering words were lost as he felt the all too familiar pull as he was yanked from Commander Franklin's body, away from Al... and out again into the unknown.

THE END

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Ticket to the Moon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/129878) by [Tarlan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan)




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